lena waithe
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‘Let’s Go’: I Watched the First 12 Minutes of Queen & Slim at Essence Fest. Damn.
“Black people don’t live, they survive,” Lena Waithe uttered to an eager audience of Essence Fest patrons who had just witnessed something that left us wanting more. That line not only reflects reality but embodies the upcoming film she wrote, Queen & Slim, directed by Melina Matsoukas. In case you need a refresher, here’s this…
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‘Everybody’s Fine’: Lena Waithe Elaborates on That Viral ‘Denzel and Will’ Comment
See, what had happened was … Lena Waithe came under fire after her June 21, 2019, New York Times interview, where she expressed her frustrations about the lack of black financiers supporting black-led narratives in film. While on the surface, it seemed as if she was simply expressing her hope for more profit for black…
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First Look: Behind the Scenes and on the Run With Queen & Slim
Y’all. Meet Queen & Slim. And instantly fall in lust, love and lure. Penned by Lena Waithe (from an original idea by A Million Little Pieces author James Frey, who approached her about it at an industry party) and helmed by Melina Matsoukas, at first glance, Queen & Slim looks to bolt its way into…
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Because She Loves Us, Michelle Obama Challenged James Corden to a Dodgeball ‘Battle of the Sexes’
Your Jackie O. Melania T first lady could never. Clearly, James Corden knows how much we love Forever First Lady Michelle Obama—and how much we miss seeing her showing up to perform “Carpool Karaoke” or a “mom dance” with fellow late-night host Jimmy Fallon. But even though she’s now also a bestselling author in addition…
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On Lena Waithe and the Danger of Pinning Your Creative Authenticity to Your Activism
When it was announced that rising actor Jason Mitchell—known for his performances in Straight Outta Compton, Mudbound and The Chi—had not only been released from his contract as a series regular on The Chi but was removed from an upcoming Netflix film (and dropped by his agent and manager), the initial response was a consensus:…
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'I Want to Own My Part In it': Lena Waithe Officially Speaks On Jason Mitchell Allegations
For the first time, Lena Waithe is speaking thoroughly on the allegations against actor Jason Mitchell in regard to his alleged misconduct on the set of The Chi. And it seems she wants to set the record straight on some things. The screenwriter, producer and actress called into popular morning show The Breakfast Club on…
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Lena Waithe Managed to Live 2 Dreams in 1 Night—Hosting a Late Night Talk Show and Kissing Halle Berry
Halle Berryyy … Halle Berry. She’s fine. Pretty much every warm-blooded person in the universe seems to think so, and I’m sure a sizable chunk of that universe has at least once fantasized about kissing her … among other things. I can’t tell you how many times friends have cited Halle’s emergence from the ocean…
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Save Our Moms: Lena Waithe Joins MTV and the Black Mamas Matter Alliance to Fight Black Maternal Mortality
Of the many ways in which the United States has long been considered a global leader, there is one which is deeply shameful. “In the past three decades in the U.S., the number of women who die from pregnancy-related complications has more than doubled,” says Lena Waithe, in a new PSA. “Over half of these…